The Red Leather Jacket
by Olivia Janae
Summary: There is something just so alluring about this red leather jacket that Regina has found. Swan Queen One Shot


**Here you go, ****Captnaimerica! I hope you like it. I can't say I didn't stretch the prompt just a bit**

She knew that most students found the overwhelming quiet of the late-night campus daunting or even creepy. She had personally seen her sorority sisters on a number of occasions bully the campus police into walking them from the library to the sorority house on nights when it was dark and quiet like this one.

Regina, on the other hand, loved it; it was the bustle of the day that she hated. Her love for the quiet and the peaceful couldn't be helped; she had spent her entire life five hundred miles away from campus in the sleepy town of Storybrooke, Maine.

Population: Tiny.

She hugged her arms around her, drinking in the budding scent of fall and started down the long walk from the stables to the main stretch of campus where her warm bed was waiting.

It was far cooler than she had expected the night to be but despite the annoyance of goosebumps across her skin, she hummed to herself in rhythm with the chirping of the crickets hidden in their grassy homes. The breeze shifted, lightly kissing her face and bringing the smell of the stables back to her; hay and dirt, water, and soft horse hide. She didn't try to stop the grin that broke across her cheeks.

She still couldn't believe she was this happy. Her life before the escape of college had never been a happy one, filled with disappointments and long hours of restless solitude. Now she was free. She spent her days studying, grooming and caring for the horses she loved and her nights learning about the simple yet blissful delight of Netflix television and cheap wine. It was true she was still a bit lonely...at times...but mostly, she was blissfully happy.

A bullfrog grumbled somewhere in the manmade stream and she giggled. Yes, this was the life.

Her head jerked up suddenly, her brow furrowing as her thoughts were interrupted by - something. Her attention had been grabbed, pulled as if someone ahead of her had called her name but - no one was there. She frowned. It must have been in her head.

Wait. No? What was that?

Lampposts littered the long drive, but their steady glow didn't offer much light to navigate and she couldn't tell for sure...

Yes, something was ahead of her, a red blur against the night sky. Or was it a someone? Did she know them? She felt the pull around her heart, the pull that usually warned of the arrival and greeting of a dear friend but – none of her friends would be out here, that was a silly thought. She was the only Phi with Equine interests; besides she hadn't made any friends on campus close enough to call to her when they were near.

The pull drew on her harder as if it knew she was thinking of it, but her steps cautiously slowed. She was walking alone, long after dark, through one of the most secluded parts of the campus.

But surely her tired mind was playing tricks on her, misfiring its intuitions as it had been doing for days now. Each time she walked by the dorms or perhaps when she passed the food court her chest would tighten and her heart pull as though there was a long lost friend waiting with a warm greeting. But there was no one. She was studying too hard.

But the misfire didn't change the fact that right now there was definitely somebody up there on the road with her.

Her hand slipped into her bag and she felt around quickly. She knew she had forgotten the pepper spray her sorority insisted she carry; she could picture it sitting on her dresser but she had to look anyway.

A red clad arm moved – beckoning to her? She stopped walking entirely, her fists opening and closing tightly as she welcomed the familiar tingle in her palms. Maybe she didn't need the pepper spray. Yes, magic was banned on campus for everyone under twenty-one, but she was alone and unprotected – she couldn't get in trouble for protecting herself, could she? That was assuming, of course, that she could use her magic well enough not to simply turn the ominous strangers hair purple or perhaps attack them with tickles instead of raw bone crushing power that would send them running in fear.

Her heart began to beat hard in her chest as the blur of red moved again. She had no choice. This was the only road to get back to her waiting bed. She squared her shoulders and continued down the path; hands deceptively limp at her sides but ready...just in case.

Each step sent a thrill of fear up another vertebra of her spine, but her pace stayed steady. Show no fear. That was what her mother would tell her, show no fear.

As she neared the figure, her eyes narrowed, searching the darkness until with a breath of relief she began to laugh at her folly.

Ten feet ahead of her just past the pool of light from the next lamppost hung a red leather jacket, flapping in the breeze. Somebody had simply left his or her jacket resting on the fence post! Oh, Regina, you're so ridiculous!

The thought filled her with concern; that was terrible! She would hate it if she had forgotten her jacket somewhere like this, so far from the beaten trail. Should she bring it back with her? If she did, she could bring it to the lost and found – then at least it might find its way home.

She decided that was what she would do but just as she began to reach for it she stopped and frowned, perplexed. There was something so inviting about the jacket – the red was so warm – the leather looked as though it would be soft under her fingers. Whose was it? Was it clean enough to touch? She wanted to – just once - her fingers reached.

She shivered at the same moment the breeze turned into a strong gust. The jacket fluttered into the air like a leaf on the wind and with a smack, blew directly into Regina's face. She yelped, catching at it before the zipper to tangle in her long chocolate locks.

The moment the jacket wrapped around her face the scent of it filled her senses; light lilac and sandalwood mixed with a hint of conditioner and warm leather. She pulled it away from her face smiling. The woman who owned the jacket, yes it was clearly a woman, smelled wonderful.

She draped the lonely jacket over her arm and continued on her way.

The sky grumbled above her threatening rain as it had been all evening and she hurried her pace thinking 'no, no, no!' She wasn't dressed for rain! She had thought the grumblings were a fault alarm but this menacing grown was different.

She didn't get another half a mile before the sky opened and huge ice-cold raindrops began to pelt her from above.

She squealed, rushing forward in alarm. Was there a shortcut she could take? No, she just had to deal with it.

Her clothes soaked through in a matter of moments and she was shivering shortly after. This was what she got for ignoring her intuition! That was the exact opposite of what her magic trainers were always telling her to do!

Her mood began to fall as she sloshed through the mud. Oh, she was so cold! She grew colder and colder as she walked, aware as she grew colder that the spot where the mysterious jacket covered her warm stayed toasty warm. The lovely lilac and sandalwood smell seemed to grow stronger with each step, growing warm as though the jacket was fresh from the dryer.

Curiosity peeked, she touched the inside of the folds and found that the cloth was blissfully warm and dry. She didn't think twice before slipping it on.

Regina sighed, her body instantly growing warm despite the water dripping from the tip of her nose.

Had the owner spelled it to stay warm like an electric blanket? She didn't know but when she finally reached the door of her sorority, she was smiling again, warm and content.

Later in bed she sighed and squirmed, restless. She had been forced to endure a scolding lecture from the house director about returning so late in the evening. She had expected the anger but what she hadn't expected was the woman, her housemother, grudgingly stopping before exiting the room, "I wouldn't have picked you for a jacket like that, but I like it."

She had smiled back politely, "I like it too." Normally when the housemother yelled at her she cowered, ashamed to be caught doing something wrong. But tonight - maybe it was the jacket, maybe it was her sodden feet –but tonight she hadn't felt the usual shame. She had felt strong as she waited for the woman to finish. It had to be the jacket; leather was badass - or something - right?

She could still smell the warm scent of the stranger's jacket on her skin even after showering and settling into bed. It was intoxicating, the source of the smell pulling at her from the chair next to her dresser. She had been staring up at the dark ceiling for a while now, considering and arguing with herself. She wanted it near.

Why?

Her roommate's feet always smelled terrible, perhaps it was the want of a clean scent that finally made up her mind. She got up from her bed and quietly; as to not wake the other sleeping woman, she grabbed the vibrant red leather. Instantly warmly sleepy, she hung it sheepishly on the post next to her bed where she could drink the scent in all night.

She was asleep in minutes.

She woke the next morning to the typical banging and bustle of the girls running through the house readying themselves for their day. The noise made her scowl as she rose; music blaring, girls screaming, horns honking – this was becoming her morning routine. She missed quiet mornings of sipping her coffee with her latest book.

She showered and ate a quick breakfast; dressed and gathered her belongings for class. She hesitated just before she headed out the door. She didn't want to bring the coat to the lost and found. It wasn't her typical clothing style at all; as a matter of fact she didn't even like how she looked in it – yet – she didn't quite want to give it up. Maybe it was because it had sheltered her from the rain the night before but she felt warm and safe inside its protective hug.

Ugh, but someone was probably looking for it.

Grudgingly she grabbed it and headed into the gray day, unaware that she had slipped the jacket on before she had made it halfway down the stairs.

She didn't make it to the lost and found that day, despite the fact that each new compliment on the found garment was a strict reminder that she needed to.

She didn't make it to the far off building the following day either.

"Tomorrow," she promised her sorority sister on the third day as she picked the hooves of Lysander, her favorite Arabian, "I will drop it off tomorrow. I've just been busy."

Abigail nodded, her arms crossed as her eyes studied Regina's red leather clad torso, "Okay good. I don't want to be rude, of course I don't, you can dress how you want, but I don't think that jacket is really - you."

Regina scowled, but she nodded. She understood Abigail's hidden meaning perfectly: we are Phi's and we don't dress in red leather.

Abigail nodded in return, her point made. "Good. I just, I wouldn't want anyone giving you a hard time or...anything. Just looking out for you sweetie!" Her sickly sweet voice was giving Regina heartburn. She smiled, knowing it was insincere and stiffly accepted Abigails quick dry hug goodbye.

She watched her jump into her boyfriend, James', convertible thinking 'bitch' and was sprayed with gravel as a reward when they zoomed away.

She brushed off her pants and glared at the fading dust cloud. Why couldn't she stand up to Abigail? What the hell gave her the right to tell Regina how to dress? That would have been the perfect moment to tell her to respectfully butt out, only she hadn't. She sighed and turned back to Lysander. She knew exactly why. Those eyes that smiled politely at her while clearly judging every move she made reminded her so very much of her mother.

She had left the tyrannical control of one matriarch only to fall into the control of another. Maybe free was too strong of a word for her situation.

It was colder when she left the stables that night, colder than it had been thus far in the season, but Regina barely noticed. She had lost track of the time, singing to Lysander as she brushed his chestnut coat and trying to hide from the memory of her cowardice with Abigail. If she didn't get back to the dorm quickly, she would be locked out for the night and then what would she do? She had no friends whom she could stay with. She didn't have a didn't have a girlfriend who could offer a warm bed for the night. No advisor who would help her. She would probably have to return to the stables and sleep in the hay.

She skipped down the long dirt road at a half run, her mind so thoroughly on her need to get home that she didn't even notice the boys jumping the fence to the left of her.

"Hey! What's your rush, friend?"

She didn't have time to stop and the boys didn't give her time even if she wanted to. Her head had just begun to turn toward the voice when her toes cramped, ripping a scream of pain from her throat. Abruptly unable to lift the toes of her boots she vaulted forward landing with an earth-shattering bang to her knees, crying out as the gravel ripped open the skin.

Fearfully, she shot a look behind her and saw the tallest of the boys, a young blond smirking, orange light glowing from his palms as he held her feet in place.

"You're not allowed to use magic on campus!" she yelled stupidly. Clearly they meant her some type of ill will, their use of magic was beside the point.

Besides, from their age Regina would guess that they didn't go to school on campus. They seemed to be varying ages of far too young or far too old which meant they were probably just local troublemakers – or perhaps local hardened criminals. Oh no, what if they were Lost Boys?

She dropped her belongings, freeing her arms so she could raise her palms in defense. Before her purple energy could start to buzz, the neighbor of the blonde clapped his hands together in a flash of blue. They boys began to laugh as she yipped, her palms painfully slapped together, rendering her magic useless.

Panic rose in her throat like bile. She was defenseless. She began to spit warnings at them; threatening to do them harm if they came any closer but her try at intimidation only amused them. They knew there was nothing she could do so they just laughed, shoving one another, mimicking her in high-pitched voices and enjoying their game.

A zap of blue flashed making Regina wince, but all that happened was purse flew into the air and unceremoniously upended; pens, papers, makeup, tampons and other personal affects scattering across the ground.

"I mean it! Stop it!" Regina yelled to no avail. Her heart pounded in her temples and frightened tears bit at the corner of her eyes. Would they take her money and go or did they have more sinister plans in mind? She could see the bright P burned into the neck of the leader – she had heard all kinds of stories about the things Lost Boy's did when they found a woman alone.

"Relax lady. We're just looking for the good stuff. This can't be all you have on you. You're a Phi. I can tell from your pin. Phi's always have more money than this...and usually some kind of drugs. Come on now, cough it up so we don't have to hurt your pretty little face."

Fear leapt, "I was in the stables. What use do I have for money in the stables? I don't use drugs."

A small flash behind the boys caught her eye. She squinted, ready to scream for help if it was anything or anyone besides the boys with the malevolent twinkle in their eyes, but all she could see was a hulking shadow. Animal? Oh god, what kind of an animal was that large?

Still, inspired by the idea of help she began to scream; maybe someone would hear her.

"HEL-" The sharp invisible blow came swiftly, rocking her head to the side. A burst of pain shot through her face, the taste of blood surprising her into silence.

The hulking shape moved into the light and Regina could suddenly make out the shape of a girl. She crouched in the tall grass of the field; the light shining off her thick black-framed glasses and the boys didn't seem to notice her. Slowly she held a finger up to her lips telling Regina to remain silent.

Regina quickly turned her attention back to the boy who held her in place, desperate not to give away the presence of the girl and started to talk. She didn't have anything of worth to say, but she talked anyway keeping him busy, "Who are you? What do you want? Money? You have my wallet, what else can I give you? I told you I was in the stables so I don't have more on me. Are you a Lost Boy? That means you have to bring everything you get back to the Pan of your group, doesn't it? Or are you the Pan? I've never understood how it works. You have a P on your neck, that means you're high ranking, right?"

"Shut up!" The blond bellowed, raising his second hand threateningly.

It was as through the threat was a starting gun; from the corner of her eye she saw the blonde reach the fence and then quick as lightning she was over it.

Regina had expected the newcomer to fight magic with magic but instead the woman let out a furious war cry as her fist connected with his jaw.

The boy let out an agonized bellow and Regina was released. She scrambled to her feet, exhilaration running through her blood. "You hit him!"

The girl grinned and shrugged readying herself as the boys clambered to gather themselves for the fight. It was clear from the nervous glances they were sharing that most of them hadn't perfected their magic enough for a fight, or perhaps didn't have magic at all. The blond boy swore, his troops gathering around him, pulling him to his feet. Spitting a few choice but nasty words at the newcomer he threw a huge burst of orange energy at the blonde.

"Look out!" Regina's hands swung reflexively and a blast of purple knocked the orange off its path before it could collide with her saviors face.

"They both have magic!" The smallest boy cried to his leader, "Screw this, Felix, let's go! It's not worth it, man!"

Bearing his teeth, the blond pumped his fists and shot another stream of orange directly at the girl's chest. She caught it in time with a countering stream of white. The sky all around them began to crackle, fireworks exploding just above their heads. If they weren't careful campus security was going to see the magic and they would be in big trouble.

Blue shot at the girl from the second in command but Regina caught it, grabbing the boy with invisible fingers and flipping him upside down midair. He yelped in surprise, whining like a scared puppy.

"Shut up." Regina growled at him and with a flick he flew across the field. Cupping her hand she produced a huge fireball and held it, threateningly, daring the boys to make her use it.

The dirty delinquents took an involuntary step back and Regina grinned, an uncharacteristically sultry, "That's right" sliding from her lips.

She didn't want to use the fireball; she didn't have enough control over her magic yet. She would probably burn the entire field to the ground.

Taking a deep breath one of the boy's wheeled around, ready to attack.

Regina attacked first.

She reared her arm back as if throwing a baseball and released what was meant to be a tiny threatening ball of fire at them. Instead, a giant raging beach ball of angry burning destruction flew from her palm. The boy shouted in alarm, throwing a shield over himself just in time. The fire hit the shield and bounced off, ricocheting in every direction.

Instantly the giant oak ten feet away from them was ablaze.

"Oh no!" She wailed, dropping her hands in defeat.

The boys shrieked, stumbling and falling over one another. With a series of girlish screams, the majority of the group bolted down the road away from the burning tree.

The blond boy, however, stood his ground, his face curled into a snarl as he held the mental arm-wrestle, pushing with all of his might against the white light. His teeth bit the air as if he could reach the other woman's throat, refusing to back down.

Regina whirled toward them but froze. She couldn't throw another fireball. The tree was on fire! Fear choked her. What could she do?

"A – little – help – here." The blonde gritted, her feet sliding back half a foot.

Regina shook her hands and produced another ball of fire, the panic rising once more as she hesitated.

"Hey!" the blonde girl screamed at her.

"Oh god!" Regina cried and before she thought could throw it the fire died.

"Help!"

"I'm sorry!" Regina cried, trying to produce another. It flickered and then died.

"Are - you - kidding - me?"

The girl stumbled, her feet sliding another few inches as the boy put more force behind his magic.

Regina yelped, and before she could think about it, she slammed her purse into the boys temple with a dull thunk.

"You hit him!" the blonde's eyes were wide in astonishment as the boy dropped to the ground.

"Sometimes doing things the old fashioned way works best." She meant to sound cool and cavalier but instead it came out in a bleat of panic as she stared at the roasting tree.

Red, blue and white lights flashed in the distance. "Shit!" The blonde grabbed her hand, "Come on, let's go! That's campus security!"

Regina watched the blond boy finally take off at a full run, but she was frozen in place, "What? We can't go! The tree! It's dying!"

"Oh my god, are you kidding me? Come on! They will put it out. We need to go! We're dead if they catch us."

The girl didn't give her a choice. She wasn't going to leave this clearly defenseless girl behind, but she also wasn't going to go down for this. She magicked all of Regina's belongings back into the bag and all but threw Regina over her shoulder, vaulting them over the fence and then dropping the girl like a sack of potatoes. "Let's GO!" She yanked and grudgingly Regina followed.

They ran, making their way across the field and into the next one. They didn't stop until Regina was gasping, pulling on the blonde's arm and begging for a break.

The blonde nodded, palms on her knees, "What were you doing out here so late anyway? What's wrong with you?"

"I was walking back from the stables." Regina panted, rubbing at the stitch in her side, "Thank you for-"

"Hey! What the hell?"

Regina jumped, looking around her for any boys stupid enough to come at them again.

"That's my fucking jacket!"

Regina blanched, "What?"

Unceremoniously the blonde whipped Regina around and dug out the tag of the found red leather, "Yeah! What are you doing? You fucking thief!"

"What? No! I'm not a thief! I uh,"

"That's what it's called when you take something that doesn't belong to you." Hand on her hip the girl silently demanded the jacket. Regina hesitated making the blonde scoff, "I will take it off of you if I have to."

Slowly, disappointed, she peeled the jacket off and shuddered as the cold bit at her instantly. The blonde snatched it and turned to stomping away.

"Wait, it's not what you think! Wait, stop!"

The blonde glared.

"I found it a few nights ago. I'm sorry, I meant to bring it to the lost and found but - I've been busy!"

"Yeah, right, because I would definitely wear a jacket I just found somewhere. You're lucky it was mine – at least I shower. You could have gotten fleas or ticks or – I don't know – lice?"

"Err-" Regina had nothing to say. She had put the jacket on originally because she was cold, but she couldn't explain why it had continued to find its way onto her body. "I'm sorry."

The blonde just glared.

"Thank you for helping me."

"Whatever. How're your knees?"

It was only then that Regina looked down and saw the blood trickling. "Painful, actually. I better – oh my god, I'm so late! They're going to have locked me out!"

"What?"

But Regina didn't stop to chat; she pelted headlong the three miles to her sorority, the blonde racing ten feet behind her constantly shouting questions.

The sorority house was dark, lifeless and Regina knew she was out of luck before she tried the doorknob. "Oh no!" She stomped her foot, the blonde finally catching up, huffing.

"Are you fucking crazy? You're crazy, right? I saved a crazy person. That's why you were wearing my jacket...because you're crazy."

"What? I'm not crazy."

"Are you sure?"

Regina opened her mouth, closed it again and then tried a second time, "Would a crazy person know they were crazy?" The blonde eyed her, but a small twitch in the corner of her lip told her that she was trying not to laugh. "The house director locks the door at eleven. I can't get in until the morning."

"What? Whoa, okay, that's crazy."

Regina wasn't listening. Could she go back to the stables? What if the Lost Boys were still out there? But she didn't have anywhere else to go!

"What are you going to do?"

"Um, I think Jefferson Hall has some couches, right? Or is that Williamson Hall?"

"What? Okay, I've heard enough crazy for the night."

"I'm sorry?"

"Come on. I'll take you back to my dorm."

"Excuse me?" Stranger danger nerves shaking Regina scoffed, "But I don't know you."

The blonde laughed, "So? Which do you think is better, my room or trying to sleep with the creepy janitor staring at you? Come on."

Regina was about to refuse, insisting she would stay on the porch for the night when the wind picked up. The blonde hair whirled around her head and Regina was assaulted with a fresh wave of scent. The smell of the jacket had been wonderful, but the scent straight from the source was dizzying, better than any perfume, any food, or fragrance she had smelled before. She wanted to bury her face in the girl's neck so she could envelop herself in the oh-so-alluring aroma.

Calm washed over Regina.

"Come on." The blonde insisted again, giving her a half smile.

"No, I think I would rather stay here. I uh,"

"No, you wouldn't."

"Excuse me?"

"I can tell you're lying. You want to come with me. What's your name by the way?"

"Regina." She answered uncertainly as her feet began to move with the blonde.

"I'm Emma."

Regina flushed, "Hi, Emma."

"Hi, Regina. Come on."

Before she knew it she was in a dorm room, Emma squatting at her knees and carefully dabbing the scrapes with a swab of cotton. "Honestly I'm surprised it's not worse. I saw you go down."

"I still can't believe they did that!" Regina gritted her teeth through the pain.

Emma shrugged with surprising nonchalance, "They need to eat too. I mean, how they go about it is wrong, but no one feeds them but their Pan or mob boss or gang leader – whatever it's called."

Regina frowned and winced as another small pebble fell from her skin, "I've never thought about it like that."

Emma nodded to herself, a clear I didn't think you had.

Regina watched the blonde work. She was beautiful in an interesting way; kind as well. "Why did you help me? What were you doing out there?"

The girl gave a jerk of her shoulders, "I just got off of work and I was looking for my jacket. How could I not help you?"

"Where do you work?"

"Terrier Ice Cream."

"The ice cream shop in the food court?"

"Yeah," Emma leaned back on her knees before Regina could say anything else, "okay I think I got all of the gravel out. You ready?"

Regina nodded once, watching the set face as the blonde's hands hovered over the bloody skin. A warm tingle started at her knees and spread outward.

"Stop moving!"

"I'm sorry!" Regina giggled, holding tight to the blankets, "It tickles."

This time the twitch of the smile broke to the surface as Emma rolled her eyes.

"Thank you." Regina sighed as Emma stood, "That feels better."

"Don't thank me yet."

"I'm sorry?"

Emma settled next to her carefully pulling her face to her, eyes searching.

Regina's heart began to flutter in her chest, "What are you doing?" she asked breathily.

"Your lip."

The sharp pain of the rubbing alcohol across the top of her lip drew Regina back to herself. It must have been split when she had been hit for screaming. The soft fingers brushed and dabbed, but her face was pained.

"What?"

"I don't know if I can fix it without leaving a scar."

"Oh." Regina breathed, growing dizzy from their proximity, "That's okay. I trust you, Emma." Emma looked as though she wished she wouldn't. "It's okay."

Her face set and she nodded, "Come here." Her palm cupped Regina's face and Regina let out an involuntary sigh, her body behaving in ways she had never experienced before.

The warm white light was momentarily blinding and then she pulled away, inspecting her work, "Fuck! See! There's a scar! God damn it. I'm so sorry!"

Regina's hand found Emma's, "It's okay. I don't mind."

Emma smirked, "if it helps at all, I kinda like it."

Regina blushed.

Emma lent her a pair of pajamas and insisted that Regina take the bed.

Regina settled in guiltily, "You know there is plenty of room for both of us here." It wasn't true. She was in a college twin, but she hated that she was putting the girl out of her own sleeping space.

"You want to share the bed?" the blonde asked skeptically, her eyes going wide.

"I mean, do I have anything to worry about?"

"No."

"Well then- what you've never fit two in a twin before? Your boyfriend never stays over?"

Emma flushed, "No but I did make it work with Abigail Midas once."

"What? No! She's the head of the Phi's!"

"I know." The blonde smiled smugly.

"What about James?"

"She wasn't worried about James that night."

"No! Oh my god!" She began to kick her legs under the blanket with glee, "That bitch! She had me put on Phi probation when she caught me with Belle French!"

"Belle French? No way, I've been trying all year."

Regina winked playfully, "There are benefits to being a sorority sister."

"I'll keep that in mind. Wait, they put you on probation?"

"Yeah," Regina sighed and admitted a secret truth, "I hate my sorority."

"Then why are you in it?"

"Mother was a Phi." Regina sighed as if this answered everything.

Emma decided not to go down that road and instead went back to eyeing the bed, "What if you wake up and I'm cuddling with you? It could happen, I'm an octopus in my sleep."

Regina's heart leapt, "I think I'll survive."

"Okay." The blonde slipped into the bed next to her and did her best to shift so the near strangers weren't touching; which was impossible.

"Maybe we should just give in and uh, just let it happen." Regina prayed her voice wasn't too hopeful.

Emma's lip twitched again and she held out her arm.

Regina cuddled into the crook of it in a flash. "Is this okay?"

"I've had worse." Emma chuckled lightly.

Enveloped in Lilac and Sandalwood Regina fell asleep easily and slept soundly, feeling safer and more comfortable than she had felt in many weeks.

* * *

If the jacket had been pulling at her, calling her name and demanding her attention, then the effect her blonde savior had was like a chokehold on Regina. She was all she thought about. She found herself searching the campus between classes hoping for a glimpse of that enchanting smile. Every day that her eyes found nothing but unfamiliar strangers, her disappointment grew. Each time she looked in the mirror at the light scar above her lip she was filled with dizzying want for her company so strong that she thought she might burst. She had to see her again. She had to – ask her on a date, ask her for a friendly coffee – anything. She – missed her. She had only met her once, but she definitely missed her - and the more the scent of her faded from her room and clothes, the more the feeling grew.

So the following week, with the smell of Emma nearly gone, she gathered her courage, purchased a small bouquet of flowers and headed back to the dorm.

She knocked lightly on the door, but no one answered.

She knocked again. Still nothing.

Should she go or should she wait? Before she had consciously made up her mind, she had slipped cross-legged to the floor next to the door.

Thankfully she didn't have to wait long. Thirty minutes later she saw the blonde round the corner, animatedly discussing something with a beautiful brunette.

Jealousy reared its ugly head before Regina could swallow it down. Was that her girlfriend? Regina was sure that she was cuter than this random girl!

Oh god, if that was her girlfriend then she had to go. Of course Emma had a girlfriend, she was beautiful – and sweet – and kind – and strong – and oh god, she couldn't be seen here. She was on her feet in a flash twirling to flee through the opposite door.

"Hey! Watch it! What the -" a group of girls cried as Regina plunged headlong into them, knocking herself and two others to the floor like bowling pins.

"Regina?"

Oh no! Humiliation crashed down on her.

Emma trotted over but instead of helping her up she just stood over her, laughing behind her hands.

Regina stared up at the ceiling. She wanted to wither away into nothing. She wanted to hide – become invisible. Could she maybe just fall into a hole in the earth?

"Are you okay?"

"Oh yes," Regina sighed "Just trying to find some semblance of dignity."

"Do you want help up?"

"No. I think I'll just stay here a while." Regina's eyes landed on the beautiful blonde, "Hi, Emma."

"Hi, Regina." The blonde grinned, amused.

The brunette shifted by the door, "Is that your girlfriend?" Regina asked in a hoarse whisper. It was supposed to be quiet enough that no one but Emma would hear it, but the brunette began to laugh, unkindly.

"Who? Her? No, she's my roommate."

"Oh."

"Why?"

"Are you dating anyone?"

"No. Why?" Emma's face slowly was cracking into a knowing grin.

"I've been thinking about you." It was blunt, perhaps more so than she had meant it to be, but it was the truth.

"Oh yeah?" Emma's grin grew.

Regina's arm thrust into the air, holding up the now smushed flowers, "Go out with me Saturday?"

Emma's grin cracked, "Are you asking me out?"

"Yes?"

Emma pulled her up and dusted her off, "Hey, what did you do to my jacket?"

"I'm sorry?"

"It doesn't smell like me anymore."

"What?"

"No matter what I do it smells," Regina's heart leapt as the girl leaned forward and sniffed her hair, "like you. I don't get it. Did you spray it down with perfume or something?"

"Um," was this Emma's way of turning her down? "Is this your way of denying me my date?"

"No. I was just wondering."

"So then – is that a yes?"

"Yes." Emma beamed "But really, what did you do to my jacket?"

Regina took the red leather from under Emma's arm and gave it a sniff. Try as she might she couldn't find any trace of herself in the scent only the lovely mix she was beginning to grow quite fond of. "I can't smell anything but you."

"You're kidding." Emma pulled it to her, "You're all I can smell."

"That's not, I mean, I don't smell bad, do I?"

Emma grinned, taking Regina's hand in her own. Regina's breath caught in her throat, "No." With a teasing charming grace, Emma placed a soft kiss on Regina's knuckles.

The blast that erupted from Emma's lips knocked everyone in the hall flat onto their backs.

Instantly the hall began to buzz as the two girls froze in shock.

"Who was it?" a small girl in the corner cried, craning her neck to see. Other voices twittered with, why-can't-it-happen-to-me-s and mumbled complaints about being knocked to the ground.

Emma's roommate squealed and clapped her hands excitedly, "Thank god! I was so not ready for that final this afternoon."

"What are you talking about?" A tiny boy next to her asked, barely able to take his eyes off the dumbfounded women as he clambered to his feet.

"Ah, freshman." The brunette laughed and clapped him on the shoulder, "It's only happened twice since I've been here, but we always get the afternoon off when there's a Blast from True Love's Kiss. It messes with all of the wirings. None of the projectors or other machines work right."

Regina gasped, understanding hitting her and finally looked up from her hand and into her blonde's wonder-filled eyes.

Emma began to laugh, pulling her into a tight hug, "Well I guess that explains the jacket!"

"What?" Regina gasped, clutching the girl tightly as nerves and sheer joy pulsed through her.

"The jacket," Emma grinned, "this explains why my jacket smells like you to me and me to you. Come on," she locked her fingers around Regina's, "let's go to Housing. They only give us twenty -four hours after the blast to move into a room together."

"Wait, already?" Regina cried, shocked.

Emma shrugged and pulled her against her, "If we don't, we will wish we had. Besides, we know we're going to fall in love anyway. What's the point in fighting fate?"


End file.
